Wings of Steele - Destination Unknown (Book 1)

by Burger, Jeffrey

  "Roger that..." added Jack, nodding.

  "Did I hear the name Smiley?" Jack turned to find Agent Cooper directly behind him. "That wouldn't be the missing Naval pilot Paul Smiley, would it?"

  "The same," said Jack. "Mike Warren's with us too." He motioned to the seats, better buckle up, Phil.”

  "What about a woman named Marianna..."

  "Maria Arroyo," interrupted Jack. "She's with us too. I had her placed in the brig last night when I found out her real identity." He shook his head. "I didn't like it though, she's been a good friend. I'm sure we've got quite a discussion in store for us when we get back."

  "We're not going to a ship that floats on water are we...?" It was more a statement than a question.

  Jack smiled as he and the agent buckled into their seats. "No, Phil, we're not."

  “Ascending...!” called Ragnaar from the cockpit.

  The floor tilted up and pushed them all into their seats, although the artificial gravity system vastly reduced the effects of the acceleration into space. Once out of the planet's atmosphere, the cabin gravity stabilized to normal and it was comfortable to move about.

  Jack drew his father into the cockpit and pointed out through the perspex at the moon which seemed extraordinarily large. The rectangular shadow on the center of the moon was growing rapidly. "I've been out here, dad, in space. UFOs are real, they always have been."

  Kyle's sharp eyes were studying the rectangular shape in front of the moon. "That's a ship isn't it..."

  "Yeah, dad, that's the Freedom, that's our ship."

  Phil Cooper, Lynette and Lisa, peered out the Invader's slanted side windows, watching the ship grow larger.

  A flight of four Lancia fighters met and bracketed the Invader, swinging past and looping around, two on either side, escorting it back toward the Freedom. They broke off on either side, arcing gracefully away just before final approach. Lining up on the flashing runway markers, Myomerr coaxed the Invader in through the open stern, through the blue haze of the stasis field and settled it gently at the end of the runway in front of the flight tower's lowered safety nets.

  "What kind of ship is this?" Kyle asked his son, the anti-grav generators audibly whining down.

  "Well it started out as a Raider class cruiser," began Jack, "but it's been so modified, it's actually a cross between a Liberator class cruiser and a light carrier. Physically we're a little smaller though."

  "So it's a military ship..."

  "Yes and no, dad - military type, but it's actually privately owned."

  After watching the four Lancias land and a couple more launch, Jack explained the various jobs, functions and equipment around the flight bay. There was a fighter in every revetment now, as well as in the cargo hold below. They used the cargo elevator to bring ships up and down as needed for repair or make-ready. He pointed out some of the new Cyclone fighters they'd recovered from the Geo Zee salvage depot. The wide-eyed group got a tour of the ship, meeting on duty crew members and getting explanations on each section and its functions. Lynette was particularly struck by how all the crew members, no matter how they looked, were extremely polite and respectful - especially toward her son.

  "Are there other Earth people out here?" asked Cooper as they walked down a long padded corridor. Doors swished open and closed automatically as they passed through.

  “Sure," replied Jack, "more than you would think... and their descendants."

  "Human descendants?" Asked Kyle.

  "Tons. And mixed races," answered Jack. "We're all basically the same," he explained, "but like home, there are different colors, cultures, features, religions. They're just a little less concerned about those differences out here." Jack paused as he listened to the comm in his ear. "I've just been informed," he announced, "they've arranged a light snack." He lead them towards the bridge.

  "What's your job here, Jack?" Asked his mother. The door to the bridge slid open and Jack strolled through followed by his parents, Phil Cooper, Lisa and Fritz.

  "Captain on the bridge!" shouted someone. The bridge crew jumped to attention from their stations. Jack smiled as he saluted, he couldn't have timed that better if he'd planned it.

  He caught Raulya's wink out of the corner of his eye. "Officers are waiting in your ready room, Captain," she announced.

  As he turned for his ready room, his mother caught him by his sleeve. "This is your ship?!" she whispered.

  "Our ship," he corrected her, "I'm just the Captain."

  Even at the late hour, the galley crew had produced an ample buffet for the guests. Over fruit, wine and cheese, the guests met the pilots of the Freedom's fighters. Agent Cooper spoke in depth with Paul and Mike, learning that not only had the B25 been returned, sort of, but their F18s had been returned, intact. They'd left them on the runway skirt at the Jacksonville Naval Airbase.

  Lynette was talking with Brian, and Jack and Kyle were speaking with Professor Edgars when Alité entered, looking radiant, her eyes a vivid, piercing blue. In her arms, she carried a small bundle.

  "Mom, dad," interrupted Jack, "I would like you to meet someone special," he beamed. "This...” he slid his arm around his wife's waist, “this is Princess Alité Steele... my wife." Lynette blinked, not sure she'd heard him correctly. He nodded and pulled her closer to Alité, as teardrops rolled down her cheeks. “And this,” he said, gently uncovering a little of the bundle Alité held, "is your grandson. Colton Thomas Steele."

  Little hands reached out for the finger Lynnette extended, his eyes a curious emerald color. "He's beautiful..."

  Kyle looked proudly down at his grandson. "He's a great lookin' kid, Jack!"

  Lynnette looked up cautiously at her son. "We're not going to get to see him much, are we? You're not staying I mean."

  "I'm afraid not, mom."

  "But why?"

  "Because we belong out here, we can see that now. All we could think about when we left, was how to get home," Jack looked to the pilots who nodded in agreement. “Now it's all about what comes next out here...”

  "Things are happening out here," explained Paul. "Bigger than us, bigger than Earth, and we have a chance to make a real difference..."

  “Without them,” added Alité, “worlds could fall. Like mine...”

  The door to the bridge swished open and Ragnaar's form filled the doorway. "Sorry to disturb you, sir, that remote sensor we placed on the other side of the moon just picked up two UFW cruisers entering the sector. Liberator class. And they're making a beeline for Earth!"

  Jack pulled his comm unit out of his pocket and slipped it over his ear as he jumped out onto the bridge, followed by everyone in the ready room. "This is the Captain, Red Alert! Repeat, Red Alert - this is not a drill!" Someone on the bridge palmed the alarm button and lights wet to red as the alarm klaxons blared throughout the ship. “All hands to battle stations! All hands to battle stations!” Steele turned to Paul. "Go, go, go! I'll join you as soon as I can.” Paul Smiley, Mike Warren and Brian Carter sprinted out of the bridge and pounded down the corridor bathed in red light.

  “Captain!” yelled Raulya, “All guns manned and ready!”

  Jack reflexively checked his watch, barely sixty seconds had passed. The floor vibrated as fighters launched from the decks below them, their engine flares arcing away from under the nose of the Freedom on the vidscreen. He keyed his mic, “Bridge to tower, do we have a Zulu ready?”

  “Tower, that is affirmative, bridge.”

  “Stern-launch that gunship,” ordered Jack. “Walt, keep the Moon between them and us."

  Jack turned to leave and halted in his tracks. "Raulya, tell Myomerr we're taking the Invader to the surface, full arms load. She's in the second seat, and I'll need gun
ners..." The floor vibrated again as two more fighters launched from the Freedom. They're getting even faster he thought. He kissed Alité and ushered his family with Phil Cooper toward the corridor. “Walt, how many birds do we have out...?” he called over his shoulder.

  “Those last two make eight so far...!” Jack was at the bridge door when Walt called him back. "Jack! Incoming comm!"

  He turned and strode back, standing next to his command seat. "On screen." The outside view faded and the comm picture came into focus. "Well, well," said Jack, "Captain Kelarez..."

  "Thought I might find you here," said Vince Kelarez.

  "What can I do for you, Captain?" asked Jack casually. "Or should I say, what can I do to you? As you can see, we're not in the same shape as when you last saw us."

  "Yes I see," he replied, "quite a difference." He smiled - or was it a sneer? "You should be congratulated, Captain Steele, your ship is probably the first I've ever seen, to come out of pirate territory in better shape than it went in." He sighed. "But I digress. There have been changes, my friend. I am a Captain no longer." He pointed to the pips on his collar.

  Jack nodded. "Rear Admiral. Nice."

  "Yes, well, it seems a certain carrier commander followed an unknown cruiser into an ether storm and disappeared in pirate territory. This left a vacancy. I got picked. Right time, right place, that's all. That and not being stupid enough to fly round in an ether storm," he said deadpan.

  "And now you've come to repay me?"

  "Sort of," said Kelarez with a smirk. "We're here to apologize."

  Jack snorted. "You're joking...!"

  "No he's not," said a second voice.

  "Second signal coming in, sir," said Petty Officer Stacell.

  "On screen." This is like a convention, thought Steele. The screen flickered and divided into two pictures. "Gantarro?"

  He nodded and smiled, "Commanding the cruiser Bowman. Good to see you Jack."

  "Good to see you too, Gant. We heard some pretty bad rumors - thought you might be dead."

  "Almost. It was close. The Princess Hedonist is gone though. Damn pirates... Listen, there will be enough time for stories later. I've taken care of everything Jack, it's all squared with the UFW. Your rank, crew and ship have been completely and properly recorded at the UFW Directorate on Tanzia. No more screw ups..." His face grew more serious. "We need you, boy. Things are heating up out here. You'd be assigned to Rear Admiral Kelarez's task force with me, and you'll all receive full back pay from the day you launched the Freedom and she's been classified as a Jump Carrier. How about it, are you in? A little pirate bashing?"

  Jack raised one eyebrow and looked over at Walt. “Commander, recall all fighters and have the gun crews stand down...”

  ■ ■ ■

  Jack stood with his parents, Phil Cooper, Lisa and Alité at the base of the Invader's boarding ramp. Fritz took one last run through the water along the beach before it was time to go. "Well it'll be getting light soon," commented Jack. "We'd better go before someone notices this thing." He kicked a toe-full of sand on the ramp.

  "Do you have to go?" asked his mother.

  "They really need us," said Jack. "The pirates are getting stronger."

  "I want to go too..." volunteered Lisa.

  "No, sis, you stay here. Besides," Jack winked, "you guys have a new winter home..."

  “Can I drive your car...?”

  “No.”

  “Please...?”

  “Still no. No to infinity,” he smirked. “I'd rather teach you to fly this thing,” he thumbed at the Invader.

  “Really? You will?”

  “No,” he grinned, “you wish. Well...” he shrugged, “maybe... later.” His eyes moved down to the electronic notepad about the size of a laptop, tucked under her arm. “You going to remember how to set that up...?” he whispered. She nodded almost imperceptibly.

  He strode over and took Phil Cooper by the elbow and they stepped away from the others. “Phil, I'm not going to pretend it was a pleasure...”

  “I understand,” he nodded.

  “But some day maybe I'll get a chance to read the total work of fiction you're going to label as a report on this, I'm betting it'll be an amusing read...”

  Cooper shook his head, “I have no idea how I'm going to deal with this... but thank you for letting me see your ship.”

  “One last thing,” said Jack quietly, shaking Cooper's hand for the benefit of his family. “I'll be back from time to time, and I don't expect there to be any problems. I'm putting their safety personally into your hands, understand? Nod and smile Phil,” he added, squeezing his hand a little harder. Getting the response he was expecting, Steele continued, “Good, because I think you realize the size and violence of the shitstorm from Hell I can rain down upon anyone who hurts them, could very literally obliterate a city.” He released the man's hand, smiled and stepped away, “Take care, Phil,” he waved.

  Fritz heard the Invader's anti-grav generators kick on and ran past and up the ramp, stopping in the doorway and looking back. "Let's go!" he barked.

  Jack laughed at the expressions on the faces of his parents. "I knew there was something I forgot to tell you..."

  Alité and Jack, backed up the ramp, waving as they went. "Give `em hell, son," called his father.

  "Be careful," waved his mother, tears streaming down her face. "And take care of each other..."

  "And the baby!" shouted Lisa, fighting her own tears.

  The Invader lifted off the sand, the door still open. Alité and Jack stood in the doorway, clutching the grab-rails, leaving his parents, sister and Phil Cooper standing on the beach near the water's edge. "WE'LL BE BACK!" yelled Jack, "I PROMISE!" He watched as the shore slid away underneath the Invader and refused to close the door until the shore was completely out of sight, the water glittering below as the sun neared the edge of the horizon, creating a rosy morning glow.

  EPILOGUE

  JUMP CARRIER FREEDOM: THE HUNTED BECOMES THE HUNTER

  The UFW ships Archer, Bowman and Freedom cruised through the Piralenin System, separated by about a hundred miles from one another in a Delta formation, the Freedom flying lead. Being Liberator Class cruisers, the Archer and Bowman were heavy on ship firepower but only had two light fighters apiece. The Freedom on the other hand, now had eighteen birds, having acquired the six Cyclones from the pirate salvage yard at Geo Zee. Had they more time, who knows what else they may have recovered. It was certainly a place worth revisiting for more than one reason, but that was not first on the hit list. Among other things that weren't first on the list, would be a visit to the UFW Blackmount Station in the Feerocobi System... though not for repairs. Supplies, crew, pilots and more fighters were in-route to be transferred there, waiting for the Freedom to arrive. In her current configuration, she was fully capable of carrying almost twice the fighters and pilots she now held. They would probably retire the Warthogs and get some beautiful, shiny new Vulcans... at least that's what Jack was hoping for.

  Jack Steele strolled casually up the padded corridor, headed for the bridge, Fritz plodding along at his side. Using an electronic notepad, the Captain was reviewing the logs and service records for the fighters and pilots that were now running almost constant patrols. The battle weary Warthogs were showing their age, and he had delegated the new pilots to them for lighter duty. Even with the upgraded electronics installed and the power plant improvement by Hecken Noer's people, they could not come close to the performance parameters of the Lancias or the Cyclones. The floor vibrated beneath his feet as a pair of Cyclones were launched out into space, which meant birds would be coming in through the stern for recovery. He slid his fingers across the screen, flipping pages as he walked. He watch
ed the statistics updated live as he turned to a new page. Nothing sighted was the message from the incoming patrol.

  “Bridge to Captain Steele...”

  Steele activated his earpiece, “Steele, go ahead, bridge.”

  “Sir, you have a scrambled incoming communication signal...”

  “Thank you, on my way...” he tucked the notepad under his arm and trotted up the corridor, the Shepherd pacing him effortlessly. The bridge doors slid open as he neared, he didn't even have to slow his pace. “I'll take it in my ready room,” he announced, turning right and passing thru the door into his office. The lights were low and the holochart was still on, tracking their route, navigation notes hovering in the air near some of the lines and points of light. He dropped the electronic notepad on the sofa and grabbed a bottle of water out of the little fridge below the table. Plopping into his chair behind his desk, he ran his fingers through his hair then entered his password on the flat keyboard for the communications service, the glass surface blipping musically as he typed. The picture on the screen went from the blue UFW Directorate logo to a live video screen. The InterGal News came on briefly before being replaced by a vid-cam picture. “Lisa?”

  “Hiya, Jack!” Lisa waved at the screen on her end in Ft. Myers, Florida. “It works!”

  Jack nodded and waved back. “Have any problems getting it set up?”

  “Not really, the on-screen directions pretty much walk you through everything. Dad hooked it into the satellite dish... I wasn't sure how that was going to work, but it does!”

  “I'm not sure either, something about backtracking the carrier signal to the satellite itself, and using it to transmit while the dish receives...” he shrugged “As long as it works I don't need to understand it,” he grinned. “Picture's not perfect, but...”

  “But it's not bad, either - seems to have a little delay though.”

  “Yeah, well it's going a loooong, way,” he chuckled. “What's the weather like today?”